The Secret to a Smoother Ride

The swordfishing grounds are anywhere from 25 to 45 miles out from Bud N’ Mary’s Marina in Islamorada, Florida, and Capt. Nick Stanczyk has been in search of a way to make his daily trek offshore more comfortable.

The constant impacts from waves, especially daily as any charter captain endures, can cause fatigue, aches and long-term chronic injuries, as any experienced boater already knows. Having more time on the water is critical to Nick’s health and livelihood, so securing top-of-the-line gear is a worthy investment.

His 42’ Freeman Boatworks center console already had an exceptionally smooth riding hull, and Nick wanted to take it to the next level with the best available seating technology. He turned to Shoxs, who helped him swap out his fixed seat pedestals with Shoxs X4 suspension mounts. He wanted to keep his existing helm seats, and the design of the X4 allowed him to do just that.

The installation began by removing the existing helm seats and mounts, then enlarging the hole to accommodate the larger-diameter Shoxs pedestal. The height was set, and the helm seats were reinstalled on top.

Once the air pressure was adjusted to exactly the level that Nick preferred, he took the boat and upgraded seats out for a test spin.

Declaring the ride “100%” smoother, he’s ready to take on the Florida Keys swells in any conditions.